Types and Effects of Sleeping Pills｜Principles and Side Effects｜How do

睡眠薬の種類と効果｜原理と副作用｜睡眠導入剤とどう違う？｜ハルシオンの名前の由来

Autumn and winter are seasons when people are prone to insomnia due to autonomic nervous system disorders.

Many people probably suffer from sleep problems.

This time, the theme is the types, effects, and side effects of sleeping pills.

Learn about sleeping pills to help you get better sleep.

Due to global warming, changes in nature are different from before.

Once upon a time, autumn was the harvest season, and after the work was done, people looked forward to harvest festivals and various other festivals.

There was always music and dancing, and people must have had a rhythm to their lives throughout the year.

In recent years, Western culture has been introduced to Japan, and the end of October is Halloween, followed by the Christmas season in December, with pop music playing on street corners.

In fact, the winter solstice used to be in late December, and there was a festival around that time, and the two weeks of the New Year's holidays were sometimes considered the Christmas season.

Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus was also sung during this period.

1. Sleeping pill "Halcion" - Is its name derived from Greek mythology?!

●Halcyon

Halcyon - A legendary bird in ancient Greek mythology with the mysterious power to calm winds and waves and make the sea peaceful.

The sleeping inducer known as Halcion is named after this bird, Halcyon.

First, let's introduce a visible bird to help you grasp the image.

The photo above shows a kingfisher.

It is also called the "jewel of clear streams", and is sometimes written as 翡翠 in kanji.

In the next chapter, let's look at the types of typical sleeping pills, including Halcion.

2. Types of typical sleeping pills - effects, mechanisms, and side effects

There are roughly 4 types of sleeping pills currently used.

[4 types of sleeping pills]

　[a] Benzodiazepine hypnotics

　[b] Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics

　[c] Melatonin receptor agonists

　[d] Orexin receptor antagonists

[a] Benzodiazepine hypnotics

Benzodiazepine hypnotics are drugs that make it easier to sleep by generally suppressing brain nerve activity. They have been used in Japan for about 50 years, and there are many types, ranging from those with short durations of action to those with long durations.

However, they have problems such as being prone to side effects like dizziness and having habit-forming properties (dependence).

●Typical drugs

Depas... short-acting anxiolytic
Halcion... ultra-short-acting sleeping pill
Lendormin... short-acting sleeping pill

[b] Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics are specifically designed to improve insomnia.

Because they have less muscle-relaxing action, they alleviate the risk of dizziness and falls compared to benzodiazepine hypnotics.

●Typical drugs

Myslee... ultra-short-acting (most frequently prescribed and well-known)
Lunesta... ultra-short-acting
Ambien... ultra-short-acting

[c] Melatonin receptor agonists

Melatonin receptor agonists have similar effects to melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating the body's internal clock. They are expected to be effective in improving night owls and disrupted sleep schedules.

●Typical drug: Rozerem

For details, please refer to the column "Mechanisms of Sleep and Wakefulness - The Role of the Pineal Gland and Melatonin".

[d] Orexin receptor antagonists

Orexin receptor antagonists block the action of orexin, which promotes wakefulness, and induce sleep. They are the newest sleeping pills, having been introduced in Japan in 2014, ahead of the rest of the world.

●Typical drug: Belsomra

For details, please refer to the column "Mechanisms of Sleep and Wakefulness - The Relationship Between the Hormone Orexin and Drowsiness".

3. What's the difference between sleeping pills and sleep aids?

Many of you may have heard of sleeping pills, sleep aids, and sleep improvers as medications that help with sleep.

Let's look at the differences between them.

●Sleeping pills

Sleeping pills are medications prescribed by a doctor for the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders.

●Sleep aids

Sleep aids refer to a subset of sleeping pills.

These are sleeping pills that have a rapid hypnotic effect or where the drug's blood concentration decreases quickly, and are often prescribed to people who have trouble falling asleep.

●Sleep improvement drugs

Medications that can be bought at pharmacies without a doctor's prescription are called sleep improvement drugs.

For example, they mainly contain antihistamines such as "diphenhydramine hydrochloride." Although they are easier to obtain than sleeping pills, their effects are weaker and they become less effective after a few days to a week of continuous use.

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is an ingredient used in many medications as an antihistamine for colds and hay fever. It eliminates itching, but it is also known for causing drowsiness. When taking over-the-counter medications, such as before driving, always check the ingredients carefully.

4. Sleeping Pill Trivia Corner: The Legend of Halcyon and the Kingfisher

●The legend of Halcyon

Let's delve deeper into the legend of Halcyon.

In Greek mythology, Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus, the god of winds, continued to pray for her husband's safety after he set off on a journey, unaware that he had died. Pitying her, Hypnos, the god of sleep, commanded his son Morpheus, the god of dreams, to inform her of her husband's death in a dream. She then grieved and threw herself into the sea.

Poseidon, the god of the sea, felt sorry for this tragedy and transformed them both into kingfishers (halcyon), and the couple lived happily ever after.

From this, the kingfisher is said to be "a legendary bird believed to calm the waves around the winter solstice."

Why around the winter solstice? There is a reason for this as well.

In the winter season, the 7-day period before and after the winter solstice, totaling 14 days, is a time of calm without storms. This is because her father Aeolus, as the god of wind, suppresses the wind and calms the waves, ensuring safe weather.

During this time, the kingfisher, Alcyone's incarnation, lays its eggs, builds a nest on the beach, and raises its young chicks.

From this, the image of a peaceful period, or a lucky respite, has also been suggested.

By the way, the kanji "川蝉" (kingfisher) is an old phonetic equivalent.

It is sometimes written as "川背美" (river back beautiful) because it is a beautiful bird with a back that lives in rivers, or as "翡翠" (jade) because its back appears green when light hits it.

When a male kingfisher meets a female, he presents her with a fish he has caught. This behavior is called "courtship feeding." If the female accepts, the couple is formed.

Does this apply to humans as well?!

Encounter captivating stories and music, and let your body relax slowly and your mind relax gently.

Aim for a meaningful life during the day and sound sleep at night.

Hiroshi Bando

Doctor of Medical Science
Councillor of the Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine
Shikoku Branch Manager of the Japanese Society of Integrative Medicine
Part-time Lecturer at Tokushima University

Graduated from Tokushima University and obtained ECFMG certification, then completed clinical training in family medicine in the United States. Specializes in anti-aging, carbohydrate restriction, music therapy, sports medicine, etc. Participated in the National Sports Festival as an ice skater (1999-2003). Chairman of the 9th Japan Music Therapy Society Conference (2009). Silver medalist at the 3rd European International Piano Competition (EIPIC) in Japan (2012). Chairman of the Japan Primary Care Association Conference (2017).
Editor-in-Chief of 4 international English medical journals (2024). Over 30 books, over 2,000 publications, and over 500 English papers. Tokushima representative of the "New Elderly Association."

Official Website: https://pianomed.org/

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